Amazon is testing an AI-driven “Buy For Me” feature that duplicates independent merchants’ product listings and fulfills orders on their behalf, leading to fulfillment errors, refund disputes, and strained customer relationships. Small businesses argue this shifts operational, legal, and reputational risk onto sellers while allowing Amazon to control discovery and demand, raising concerns over intellectual property, pricing accuracy, and accountability, especially for merchants who intentionally avoid the platform or rely on tools from Shopify. The controversy is sharpened by claims of hypocrisy, as Amazon has sued Perplexity AI over similar scraping practices, highlighting unresolved tensions over consent, ownership, and power in AI-mediated commerce.
Amazon AI Tool Blindsides Merchants by Offering Products Without Their Knowledge
